Deck 14: Abnormal Behavior

Question 1

According to the discontinuity hypothesis,abnormal behavior is:

A) qualitatively different than normal behavior.
B) nonexistent.
C) extreme levels of normal psychological problems.
D) quantitatively different than normal behavior.

Answer 1

qualitatively different than normal behavior.

Question 2

In medieval practice,if "evil spirits" could not be driven out through exorcism,how was the "diagnosis" revised?

A) The abnormal behavior must be the result of some physical ailment.
B) The abnormal behavior must be occurring because the person is a witch or warlock.
C) The abnormal behavior must be occurring because the person is a prophet or saint.
D) The abnormal behavior is the result of some severe psychological trauma.

Answer 2

The abnormal behavior must be occurring because the person is a witch or warlock.

Question 3

The earliest writings about behavior indicate that abnormal behavior was believed to be caused by:

A) unbalanced humors.
B) evil sprits.
C) infectious agents.
D) patterns of inheritance.

Answer 3

evil sprits.

Question 4

In Hippocrates' use of the word,humor meant the same thing as:

A) fate.
B) evil spirits.
C) brain function.
D) body fluids.

Question 5

Given the definition of abnormal behavior as used by the mental health community,approximately what percentage of individuals in the United States meet the criteria for abnormal behavior?

A) 5%
B) 8%
C) 10%
D) 20%

Question 6

Which of the following statements is MOST consistent with the continuity hypothesis of abnormal behavior?

A) "Alcoholism is a disease,not a character flaw."
B) "We all act a little crazy now and then."
C) "It's difficult to relate to the thoughts of a mentally ill person."
D) "A personality disorder is more than just exaggerated behavior."

Question 7

Until recently,who was the leading champion of the view that psychological problems have psychological causes?

A) Freud
B) Krafft-Ebing
C) Hippocrates
D) the people of Salem,Massachusetts

Question 8

Krafft-Ebing and others determined that paresis was:

A) melancholic depression.
B) an early stage of hysteria.
C) an advanced stage of syphilis.
D) a result of epilepsy.

Question 9

Terms such as insanity and mental illness are used by advocates of:

A) Both the continuity hypothesis and the discontinuity hypothesis
B) the continuity hypothesis only.
C) the discontinuity hypothesis only.
D) Neither the continuity hypothesis nor the discontinuity hypothesis

Question 10

According to your text,which of the following criteria is generally agreed upon by professionals when defining mental illness?

A) behavior that is considered very unusual
B) behavior that is not practiced by the majority
C) behavior that is severe enough to be considered "harmful"
D) behavior that is rare in occurrence

Question 11

According to your text,which of the following behaviors is considered by psychologists to be abnormal behavior?

A) intellectual giftedness
B) cigarette smoking
C) being attracted to the same sex
D) talking to oneself

Question 12

Which of the following statements is MOST consistent with the discontinuity hypothesis of abnormal behavior?

A) "Boys will be boys."
B) "Schizophrenia is clearly a mental illness."
C) "Everyone has a bad day now and then."
D) "When your back is up against the wall,you come out fighting."

Question 13

Abnormal behavior includes all of the following EXCEPT:

A) behavior that causes discomfort.
B) behavior that impairs performance.
C) an inability to relate to others.
D) behavior that is highly unusual.

Question 14

In the Catholic Church's document Malleus Maleficarum,readers were instructed to treat mental illness with:

A) exorcism.
B) ice-water baths.
C) insulin shock therapy.
D) blood-letting.

Question 15

Today,it is proposed that abnormal behavior is caused by:

A) faulty genes.
B) biological factors.
C) biological factors and psychological factors.
D) psychological factors.

Question 16

According to the continuity hypothesis,abnormal behavior is:

A) the result of disease.
B) nonexistent.
C) extreme levels of normal psychological problems.
D) entirely different than normal behavior.

Question 17

Hippocrates was one of the first people to propose that abnormal behavior is caused by:

A) spirit possession.
B) stress.
C) biology.
D) irrational beliefs.

Question 18

According to mental health practitioners,which term is MOST synonymous with the word "abnormal"?

A) harmful
B) atypical
C) deviant
D) crazy

Question 19

According to your text,which aspect of the definition of abnormality requires subjectivity?

A) level of severity
B) who is affected
C) degree of unusualness
D) degree of irrationality

Question 20

Pythagoras was one of the first persons to propose that abnormal behavior is caused by:

A) spirit possession.
B) psychological factors.
C) biology.
D) irrational beliefs.

Question 21

Which disorder is characterized by a fear of a specific object or situation that is strong enough to interfere with everyday living?

A) panic disorder
B) delusional disorder
C) phobia
D) generalized anxiety disorder

Question 22

You fall to pieces every time you have to go to a job interview,present a report in front of the class,or ask someone out on a date.These symptoms are MOST indicative of the following?

A) panic disorder
B) social phobia
C) agoraphobia
D) generalized anxiety disorder

Question 23

What factor separates phobias from other types of anxiety disorders?

A) Phobias involve more intense fears.
B) None of the phobias is life-interfering.
C) Phobias are linked to specific environmental triggers.
D) Phobias are more difficult to treat.

Question 24

Which of the following is NOT an axis of the DSM-IV?

A) global assessment of functioning
B) severity of disorder
C) personality disorders and mental retardation
D) general medical conditions

Question 25

Tyrone wakes up with an uneasy feeling every day.Throughout the day,he thinks about all the things that might go wrong.Of the following,Tyrone is MOST likely suffering from:

A) generalized anxiety disorder.
B) panic attack disorder.
C) somatization disorder.
D) social phobia.

Question 26

Which of the following views of abnormal behavior reduces the stigma of it?

A) insanity hypothesis
B) continuity hypothesis
C) discontinuity hypothesis
D) biosocial hypothesis

Question 27

In the United States,mental health professionals usually use the definitions of abnormality that are found in the:

A) GDM-III
B) APA-IV
C) SCH-II
D) DSM-IV

Question 28

In the grocery store last week,Jacob suddenly felt his heart race,his breathing accelerate,and his limbs tingle.He was overwhelmed by the feeling that he might die.Eventually,his symptoms went away.This week,the same thing happened at the shopping mall.Of the following,Jacob is MOST likely suffering from:

A) dissociative identity disorder.
B) panic attack disorder.
C) generalized anxiety disorder.
D) hypochondriasis.

Question 29

Of the following psychological problems,which would NOT be likely to fall under any of the insanity guidelines?

A) severe mental retardation
B) criminal behavior committed by an antisocial personality
C) active schizophrenia
D) psychosis

Question 30

Agoraphobia is characterized by a fear of:

A) negative evaluation.
B) leaving safe or familiar places.
C) public humiliation.
D) closed spaces.

Question 31

In the legal definition of insanity,an accused person is NOT guilty of a crime if:

A) they have a DSM-IV diagnosis of mental illness.
B) the crime was so bizarre that no rational person could have committed it.
C) the accused was unable to comprehend the wrongfulness of the crime.
D) they belong in a mental institution as they are a danger to themselves or others.

Question 32

To be involuntarily committed,an individual must:

A) be a danger to themselves or others.
B) exhibit bizarre or delusional behavior.
C) have a DSM-IV diagnosis.
D) have committed a crime.

Question 33

Social phobia is primarily a fear of:

A) intimate relationships.
B) feeling lost in a crowd.
C) being lonely.
D) being evaluated negatively.

Question 34

Because of her fear of snakes,Patricia cannot go to the zoo,cannot go walking in the woods,and feels she must always wear long pants and heavy boots when hiking.Patricia has:

A) a social phobia.
B) agoraphobia.
C) a generalized anxiety disorder.
D) a specific phobia.

Question 35

Which of the following is a true statement about the stigma associated with abnormal behavior?

A) Stigma may make individuals' health problems more severe.
B) Many mental health professionals believe that stigma is a necessary component of abnormal behavior.
C) Stigma may encourage individuals with mental health problems to seek help.
D) Understanding that mental health problems are very common increases the stigma associated with them.

Question 36

The DSM-IV is widely believed to be useful because it:

A) makes the diagnostic criteria specific and public.
B) is based on the writers' own clinical experience.
C) reflects the imaginations of psychiatrists.
D) minimizes the number and range of qualifying disorders.

Question 37

Today,if an individual is found "guilty but mentally ill," they will:

A) be imprisoned and not receive psychological treatment.
B) serve their sentence in a psychiatric hospital.
C) be imprisoned and receive psychiatric treatment in prison.
D) not be sentenced to a specific period of time and will be released when they are deemed sane.

Question 38

Which of the following is true about the incidence of anxiety disorders in males and females?

A) The incidence of anxiety disorders in males is virtually zero.
B) Males are MORE likely to be affected by anxiety disorders than are females.
C) Males are LESS likely to be affected by anxiety disorders than are females.
D) Males are EQUALLY as likely to be affected by anxiety disorders as females.

Question 39

Of the following anxiety disorders,which is typically the LEAST life-interfering?

A) a specific phobia
B) social phobia
C) panic disorder
D) generalized anxiety disorder

Question 40

Insanity is a ____________ term.

A) legal
B) psychological
C) medical
D) legal,psychological,and medical

Question 41

Among men,the MOST common single cause of posttraumatic stress disorder is:

A) combat-related stress.
B) physical assault.
C) the unexpected death of a loved one.
D) a natural disaster.

Question 42

Which of the following increases the likelihood of developing posttraumatic stress disorder?

A) being male
B) having social support
C) having higher levels of anxiety before the traumatic event
D) none of these

Question 43

An obsession is a(n):

A) excessive ritual.
B) addiction.
C) recurring,disturbing thought.
D) wild and false belief.

Question 44

A compulsion is a(n):

A) intrusive thought.
B) irresistible urge.
C) delusional thought.
D) addiction.

Question 45

Which of the following disorders is characterized by almost unrelenting anxiety?

A) social phobia
B) panic attack disorder
C) generalized anxiety disorder
D) specific phobia

Question 46

Of the following behaviors,which MOST likely involves both compulsions and obsessions?

A) compulsive eating
B) irrational jealousy and suspicion regarding your spouse's sexual activity
C) repeatedly going on shopping sprees without the necessary finances to do so
D) anxiously washing your hands until they become chapped and inflamed

Question 47

Troy leaves the house and wonders if he left the water running.He goes in and checks the water,goes back out,and wonders if he left the light on when he checked the water.He goes back to check the light,goes out,and wonders if the back door is open.This behavior continues for 25 minutes.Of the following,which disorder is Ben MOST likely suffering from?

A) panic disorder
B) obsessive-compulsive disorder
C) schizophrenia
D) generalized anxiety disorder

Question 48

You are sitting in your psychology class when you suddenly you feel your emotions surge.You have no idea what you are worried about,but the feeling overwhelms you to the point that you bolt out the door in the middle of class.If you begin to experience more of these episodes,what might be your diagnosis?

A) agoraphobia
B) generalized anxiety disorder
C) panic anxiety disorder
D) obsessive-compulsive disorder

Question 49

Which of the following is NOT a symptom associated with posttraumatic stress disorder?

A) flashbacks
B) nightmares
C) irrational thoughts
D) persistent anxiety

Question 50

Of the following,which is the LEAST likely cause of posttraumatic stress disorder?

A) being diagnosed with a fatal disease
B) witnessing terrorism
C) the unexpected death of a loved one
D) natural disasters

Question 51

Of the anxiety disorders,which of the following symptoms is unique to posttraumatic stress disorder?

A) denial
B) extreme anxiety
C) sleep disturbances
D) emotional numbing

Question 52

Recent research has suggested that persons with panic disorders:

A) replay traumatic events over and over in their mind.
B) come to experience repeated panic attacks due to operant conditioning.
C) are also hypochondriacs.
D) interpret normal body sensations in catastrophic ways.

Question 53

Six months following a rape,what percentage of female victims were still experiencing symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder?

A) 10%
B) 42%
C) 60%
D) 75%

Question 54

When Stacy drives to and from work,she is haunted by thoughts that she has "hit a person with her car." Often,she turns around and drives back along the route to check for any injured persons alongside the road.Her behavior has turned a 20-minute trip into an hour-and-a-half commute.Stacy likely suffers from:

A) dissociative identity disorder.
B) somatization disorder.
C) delusional disorder.
D) obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Question 55

Of the following behaviors,which is generally NOT associated with obsessive-compulsive disorder?

A) anxiety
B) disturbing thoughts
C) hallucinations
D) ritualized and repetitive behaviors

Question 56

Among women,which of the following is the MOST common cause of posttraumatic stress disorder?

A) being physically injured
B) physical assault,rape,and sexual molestation
C) the unexpected death of a loved one
D) a natural disaster

Question 57

Gannon regularly wakes up at night from a nightmare in which he is trapped in a mudslide.He cannot get over witnessing the tragedy that killed his parents and baby brother more than 20 years ago.He is plagued by guilt because he was the sole survivor.Gannon has:

A) agoraphobia.
B) dissociative amnesia.
C) generalized anxiety disorder.
D) post-traumatic stress disorder.

Question 58

A person who suffers from a somatoform disorder has:

A) unwanted repetitive thoughts.
B) several personalities that alternate in their expression.
C) physical symptoms with no apparent medical basis.
D) extreme fluctuations in mood.

Question 59

Disorders in which psychological symptoms "take the form" of bodily problems are called:

A) somatoform disorders.
B) dissociative disorders.
C) mood disorders.
D) personality disorders.

Question 60

Among individuals diagnosed with an obsessive-compulsive disorder,what percentage have both obsessions and compulsions?

A) 15%
B) 50%
C) 70%
D) 95%

Question 61

What is generally forgotten in dissociative amnesia?

A) everything after a stressful event
B) everything before a stressful event
C) everything before a stressful event and the stressful event
D) the stressful event

Question 62

The major difference between conversion disorders and somatoform pain disorders is that:

A) conversion disorders are a milder form of somatoform pain disorders.
B) in addition to physical complaints,somatoform pain disorders often involve depression,whereas conversion disorders do not.
C) somatoform pain disorders involve a specific and chronic pain,whereas conversion disorders involve other types of somatic symptoms.
D) conversion disorders serve to relieve the individual from some responsibility,whereas somatoform pain disorders do not.

Question 63

What is generally forgotten in dissociative fugue?

A) everything after a stressful event
B) everything before a stressful event
C) everything before a stressful event and the stressful event
D) the stressful event

Question 64

The father of a colicky newborn woke up one morning to find that he could not hear.His hearing loss continued until the infant outgrew that colicky stage at around 4 months of age.This father appears to have developed:

A) a conversion disorder.
B) psychogenic fugue.
C) psychogenic amnesia.
D) somatization disorder.

Question 65

Memory loss for all or part of a stressful event is called:

A) dissociative identity disorder.
B) dissociative fugue.
C) depersonalization.
D) dissociative amnesia.

Question 66

Depersonalization is MOST like

A) schizotypal personality disorder.
B) a severe mood disturbance.
C) a state of altered consciousness.
D) a mild social phobia.

Question 67

Last year,Diane's father died very unexpectedly.Family members will frequently bring up his funeral and the events that occurred in the weeks immediately after his death.Diane does not recall any of the events family members recall.Why?

A) Diane is most likely depressed.
B) Because she was so traumatized,Diane did not lay down any memories of the funeral.
C) Diane is suffering from dissociative amnesia.
D) Diane was probably in a dissociative fugue state during the funeral.

Question 68

In contrast to the other dissociative disorders,depersonalization:

A) is extremely rare.
B) involves a more severe disturbance in identity.
C) involves a period of "aimless wandering."
D) is quite common and is generally nothing more than an unsettling experience.

Question 69

The day before his tryouts for the National Baseball League,the star recruit developed paralysis in his right arm.Because no medical cause could be found for his condition,it is likely the recruit had developed:

A) a somatoform pain disorder.
B) a conversion disorder.
C) hypochondriasis.
D) dissociative amnesia.

Question 70

Ken seems to be constantly focused on his body,and his conversations are filled with concerns about aches and pains.Last month,he had a brief pain in his stomach and was convinced it was an ulcer.When he felt slightly dizzy a week ago,he went to the Internet and determined that he must be developing Meneire's disease.Yesterday,he noticed his urine was slightly dark in color and became alarmed to the point that he insisted that his physician do a urinalysis to be sure his kidneys were functioning appropriately.Of the following,Ken is MOST likely to be diagnosed with:

A) generalized anxiety disorder.
B) hypochondriasis.
C) a conversion disorder.
D) somatization disorder.

Question 71

As Austin nears his final exams,he is experiencing a chronic and sharp pain in his chest.Although he visits his doctor,no medical cause can be found to explain Austin's pain.His instructors allow him to take his final exams during the following semester.Austin is MOST likely to be experiencing:

A) a somatoform pain disorder.
B) a conversion disorder.
C) hypochondriasis.
D) somatization disorder.

Question 72

Mary has been to 11 physicians in the last 2 years with a variety of serious concerns.She complains of severe PMS and excessive menstrual bleeding,debilitating migraines almost every day,blackouts several times a week,and continual numbness on the left side of her face.She has been unable to keep a job because her physical ailments prevent her from working most days of the week.Of the 11 physicians who have worked with her,none can find a cause for her chronic complaints.Of the following,Mary is MOST likely to be diagnosed with:

A) panic disorder.
B) generalized anxiety disorder.
C) obsessive-compulsive disorder.
D) somatoform disorder.

Question 73

Many people having near death experiences report "steeping out of their body and looking at it from the outside." This experience can best be classified as:

A) a dissociative fugue state.
B) depersonalization.
C) schizotypal behavior.
D) dissociative identity disorder.

Question 74

Dissociative amnesia is generally:

A) temporary.
B) caused by a medical condition.
C) progressive.
D) associated with depression.

Question 75

Which of the following statements about somatoform disorders is true?

A) Individuals believe they are experiencing physical symptoms,but the symptoms are not real.
B) Individuals experience a memory loss because they repress events that are too painful.
C) The physical symptoms individuals experience are very real but psychologically induced.
D) Individuals experience a memory loss because trauma produces brain changes that prevent memory consolidation.

Question 76

Which of the following is the MOST likely explanation for why individuals develop conversion disorders?

A) A traumatic experience causes them to convert their psychological pain into physical symptoms.
B) Painful memories convert into physical symptoms to circumvent conscious awareness.
C) Individuals are already physically weak,and stress further weakens their immune systems.
D) Individuals develop the disorders to relieve themselves of unwanted responsibilities.

Question 77

Which of the following is characterized by intensely and chronically uncomfortable conditions and is often associated with anxiety and depression?

A) conversion disorder
B) somatization disorder
C) somatoform pain disorder
D) hypochondriasis

Question 78

As a group,the dissociative disorders are characterized by:

A) extreme fluctuations of mood.
B) sudden alteration in memory,perception,or identity.
C) physical symptoms with no physical cause.
D) progressive deterioration of cognitive and emotional functioning.

Question 79

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic typically associated with a conversion disorder?

A) The symptoms impair an individual's ability to work.
B) The symptoms are often not medically possible.
C) Individuals who develop the disorder are generally very independent personalities.
D) The symptoms generally "disappear" when sleeping.

Question 80

A difference between somatization disorder and hypochondriasis is that:

A) hypochondriasis is a milder form of somatization disorder.
B) in addition to physical complaints,hypochondriasis often involves addiction to alcohol and other medications.
C) hypochondriasis frequently leads to a complete inability to meet daily responsibilities.
D) persons with hypochondriasis will go to great lengths,even unnecessary surgeries,to increase the probability of special attention and sympathy.